Cheng weishi lun 成唯識論

Cheng weishi lun 成唯識論 "Treatise on the establishment of Consciousness-Only" is a Buddhist scholastic work. It is also known as Jing weishi lun 淨唯識論, and is often abbreviated as the Weishilun 唯識論. It was compiled and translated by Xuanzang 玄奘 (602-664), who synthesised commentaries by ten Indian masters on the Triṃśikā-vijñaptimātratā (Chinese title Weishi sanshi song 唯識三十頌). The ten masters include Sthiramati (Ch. Anhui 安慧, 6th cent.), Dharmapāla (Hufa 護法, 530–561), Nanda (Nantuo 難陀), Bandhuśri (Qinsheng 親勝), Citrabhāna (Huobian 火辨, c. 400-c. 480), Guṇamati (Dehui 德慧, 5th cent.), Śuddhacandra (Jingyue 淨月, 6th cent.), Viśeṣamitra (Shengyou 勝友), Jinaputra (Shengzi 勝子), and Jñānacandra (Zhiyue 智月). Xuanzang's work comprises 10 juan. The potential Sanskrit title is Vijñaptimātrāsiddhi-śāstra.

According to tradition, when Xuanzang studied in India, he obtained a rare manuscript of Dharmapāla's commentary preserved by a lay scholar named Xuanjian 玄鑒. After returning to China, Xuanzang initially planned to translate each of the ten commentaries in full. However, following the suggestion of Kuiji 窺基 (632–682), he instead based the work mainly on Dharmapāla's commentary, while incorporating the doctrines of all ten masters into a single text. The final compilation was written down by Kuiji based on Xuanzang's dictation. The synthesised mode, however, makes it difficult to distinguish each master's original views. When including the perspectives of various masters such as Nanda and Sthiramati, agreements are often overlooked, while differences from Dharmapāla are highlighted. Usually, views deemed incorrect are presented first, followed by Dharmapāla’s distinctions and final conclusions, thereby emphasising the orthodox position.

The division of the book into three sections is traditionally said to follow the scheme of "characteristics" (xiang 相), "nature" (xing 性), and "stages" (wei 位) from the Avataṃsaka-sūtra's (Huayanjing 華嚴經 chapter on "Seeking the Dharma" (Qiufa pin 求法品), and this structure also reflects the original organisation of Dharmapāla's commentary.

The treatise contends that the fundamental basis of the triloka or "three realms" (sanjie 三界) is the ālaya-vijñāna or "repository consciousness" (Chinese term alaiye shi 阿賴耶識, see Eight Consciousnesses), and that all phenomena are vijñapti-mātra or "transformations of consciousness only" (weishi suo bian 唯識所變). In essence, there are no external objects, only internal consciousness exists.

The first section (Ming weishi xiang 明唯識相) explains verses 1-24 of the versed treatise Weishi sanshi song. The text refutes the mistaken beliefs of non-Buddhist schools and Hīnayāna (Theravāda) traditions regarding a real self (ātman) and real dharmas (shi wo shi fa 實我實法). It then describes the characteristics of the transforming consciousnesses or subjects (neng bian shixiang 能變識相) and the transformed aspects or objects (suo bian shixiang 所變識相). It also explains concepts such as bīja or "seeds" (zhongzi 種子), pravṛtti or manifest activity (xianxing 現行), and karmic habit-energy (zhu ye xi qi 諸業習氣) to clarify the continuity of saṃsāra or re-birth and death. Finally, it discusses the trisvabhāva or three natures (sanxing 三性) and three non-natures (san wuxing 三無性), demonstrating that all is consciousness-only.

The second part (Ming weishi xing 明唯識性) comments on verse 25. It explains tathatā or "suchness" (zhenru 真如) as the paramārtha-satya or "ultimate truth" (jusheng yidi 具勝義諦). It teaches that the true nature of all dharmas (objects, appearances) is revealed when one is free from falsely imagined attachments to a real self and real entities. This reality remains constant in all states and is called "suchness", the true nature of "consciousness-only".

The third part (Ming weishi wei 明唯識位) elaborates on verses 26–30 of the Weishi sanshi song. It distinguishes individuals capable of perceiving the characteristics and nature of consciousness-only and describes the stages they go through in the process of realisation, along with the methods for gradual attainment. These include the stage of saṃbhāra or accumulation (ziliang 資糧), the stage of prayoga or preparation (jiaxing 加行), the stage of darśana or insight/penetration (tongda 通達), the stage of bhāvanā or cultivation (xiuxi 修習), and the stage of niṣṭhā or ultimate completion (jiujing 究竟).

The text exerted tremendous influence and became one of the principal treatises upon which the Yogācāra School (Faxiang Zong 法相宗) relies. The most important commentaries are Kuiji's 窺基 (632–682) Cheng weishi lun shuji 成唯識論述記, Cheng weishi lun zhangzhong shuyao 成唯識論掌中樞要, Weishi biechao 唯識別鈔 (fragment), Weishi kejian 唯識科簡, Huizhao's 慧沼 (650–714) Cheng weishi lun liaoyi deng 成唯識論了義燈, Zhizhou's 智周 (668–723) Cheng weishi lun yanbi 成唯識論演秘 and Ouyang Jingwu's 歐陽竟無 (1871–1943) Weishi jiangyi 唯識講義. Kuiji belongs to the "six masters" (liujia 六家) commenting on the Cheng weishi lun, with the other texts being Puguang's 普光 (7th century) Cheng weishi lun chao 成唯識論鈔, Huiguan's 慧觀 (7th century) Cheng weishi lun shu 成唯識論疏, Xuanfan's 玄范 (7th century) Cheng weishi lun shu 成唯識論疏, and Yiji's 義寂 (c. 700) Cheng weishi lun weixiang jue 成唯識論未詳決. The Korean monk Tojŭng 道證 (c. 700) assembled these commentaries in his Cheng weishi lun yaoji (Korean reading Sŏng yusik non yojip) 成唯識論要集. Other collective commentaries from the Korean state of Silla 新羅 are Wŏnch'ŭk's 圓測 (613–696) Cheng weishi lun shu (Sŏng yusik non so) 成唯識論疏, T'aehyŏn's 太賢 (8th cent.) Cheng weishi lun xueji (Sŏng yusik non hakki) 成唯識論學記 (also called Gujiji / Kojŏkki 古跡記, including the comments of of Guiji and Wŏnch'ŭk), Cheng weishi lun jueze (Sŏng yusik non kyŏlch'aek) 成唯識論抉擇, and Cheng weishi lun guangshi benmu song (Sŏng yusik non kwangsŏk ponmo song) 成唯識論廣釋本母頌.

In Japan, Ryōsan 良算 (c. 1200) compiled the commentary Cheng weishi lun tongxue chao (Japanese reading Jō yuishiki ron dōgaku shō) 成唯識論同學鈔. There are also Zennen's 善念 (c. 13th cent.) Cheng weishi lun quanchao (Jō yuishiki ron senshō) 成唯識論泉鈔, Zōshun's 藏俊 (c. 13th cent.) Cheng weishi lun benwen chao (Jō yuishiki ron honmon shō) 成唯識論本文鈔 and Zanne's 湛慧 (c. 1300) Cheng weishi lun lunshu jicheng bian (Jō yuishiki ron ronsho shūsei hen) 成唯識論論疏集成編. English translations xxx.

In 1982, the Kitan Canon (Qidan zang 契丹藏) was discovered in the wooden pagoda of Yingxian 應縣, Shanxi. It includes two texts on Xuanzang's treatise, namely Cheng weishi lun di yi 成唯識論第一, and Cheng weishi lun shuji ying xin chao kewen juan di san 成唯識論述記應新抄科文卷第三.